2015 on track to be windiest year in decades in Scotland

The year of 2015 is on track to be the windiest year in at least two decades in Scotland due to the summer's wild and stormy weather, showed the latest official records from meteorologists.

This July could also turn out to be one of Scotland's wettest months in July, with 72 percent of the expected monthly rainfall landing in the first 15 days, the online Scotsman newspaper quoted the records as saying on Monday.

There have been only eight calm days since the start of the year, with none in the past three months, showed the official records.

Fewer than 19 calm days in the whole of 2015 will make it the windiest year since 1995 or earlier, and persistent low pressure is the cause of the pattern, said weather experts at the meteorology office.

A day is considered calm when 20 or more British weather stations show peak gusts under 11 miles (17.7 km) per hour. The last was in April.

A continuing pattern of strong winds and outbreaks of rain is expected in August in Scotland, said weather experts.

Richard Dixon, director of environment charity Friends of the Earth Scotland, warned climate change will bring an increase in extreme weather.

He said that 2014 was the warmest year ever, in Scotland and globally, and 2015 looks to be one of the windiest, noting that "Scotland's weather is particularly influenced by the position of the jet stream".

The consequence of climate change depends of how rapidly the human being reduces emissions from homes, cars, factories and power stations, he added. Enditem